Foals

Foals are young ponies, depicted at various ages on the show, from babies to teenagers. Exact ages are not specified, but there is a clear distinction between babies, school-age ponies, and adult ponies.

Appearance

The difference between baby ponies and young ponies is accented in the episode Call of the Cutie. School teacher Cheerilee shows a picture of herself at a very young age, and later contrasts it with another picture of herself being somewhat older than her students. She is depicted not possessing a cutie mark in the former picture, and remarks that "her flank was blank" until she grew older and got her cutie mark when she found her talent as a teacher and to help her students bloom with knowledge.

Most of the named colts on the show have unique character designs, unlike the fillies, stallions, and mares, who almost always share the same body design.

Cutie marks

A cutie mark, a mainstay of My Little Pony, is a special mark on a pony's flank showing an icon related to their special talent.

During Call of the Cutie, Cheerilee tells her students that no amount of pleading, wishing, or begging will make a cutie mark happen before its time, and that the best thing to do is wait. Different ponies develop different special talents as they mature, and at different times; for instance, Rarity's special skill is gem-finding, Fluttershy's is caring for animals, Rainbow Dash's is speed, Applejack's is apple farming, and Pinkie Pie's is party-throwing.